A Dozen Great Camping Hacks

As spring rolls into summer, we’ve got camping on our minds. Your first trip into the woods this year will be better if you go prepared. Here are a dozen clever camping hacks to be safer, more comfortable, fight off pests, and just have more fun. There’s no harm in a few luxuries even when you head out to rough it.

1. Let there be light at night! Paint the inside of a jar with a non-toxic glow-in-the-dark paint for a super easy DIY lantern. Or – bonus tip – strap a head lamp to a gallon jug of water to fill your tent with ambient light.

2. Lay down a mat of lightweight foam tiles – easy to pack and carry – for a more comfortable tent floor.

3. Watch out for ticks that can carry Lyme disease.Fill a spray bottle with one part tea tree oil and two parts water and spray the solution on shoes, socks and pant cuffs.

4. Speaking of camping pests, add bundles of sage to your campfire to ward off mosquitoes.

5. When hiking, use biodegradable trail marking tape along your way for an easy way to find your way back to the campsite.

6. Dip cotton cosmetic pads in wax and pack them along for a fire-starter.

7. Got ants? Show them some grit. Dry grits sprinkled on their path will send them scurrying away.